You're Being Watched

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a column on people who drive company vehicles with advertising splashed all over the vehicle. Some of these people drive like idiots and can ruin a lifetime of goodwill that a company may have established with their customers. I encouraged you to pick up the phone and tell these businesses how their people are doing when it comes to representing their employers. Well wouldn't you know it, this past week, I had to make one of those phone calls.

As I attempted to merge onto a four-lane highway, a large semi-truck pulling two trailers behind it was coming up the left lane. He saw me for a long while as I attempted to ramp up to speed and be able to merge into traffic seamlessly. There was no traffic in the right lane beside the trucker yet he refused to pull over to the left lane - which would have been the courteous thing to do. Instead, he increased his speed to allow himself to cut me off from merging onto the highway and had I not had my wits about me, I would have ended up tangled in the guard rail. Only after forcing me to a near full-stop, did he move over to the left lane.

As I followed a fair distance behind this trucker for several miles, he did not move out of the left lane. As a matter of fact he forced all vehicles behind him to move over to the right lane to pass him. In my mind, his actions were not acceptable.

As I drove past his truck in the right lane, I took note of the name of the trucking company, as well as a phone number, and placed a call to the number on the side of the truck. A woman answered and after I related my story of what just happened, as well as the driver not giving up the left lane, she asked me to hold for a moment. When she came back, she informed me that the actions of the driver were unacceptable. She had informed the driver's dispatcher who was, as we spoke, giving him "what for" on the phone. Just then I looked into my rear view mirror and watched the truck move out of the left lane and into the right lane and severely reduced his speed. Busted - eight hundred kilometers from home.

I believe that no one should even hesitate to correct the actions of idiots especially when personal safety is challenged. You owe it to yourself to be mindful of others. Keep your eyes open and report those things that you know are wrong. People who choose to act like idiots shall be treated in kind.

And also keep in mind that while you're out there driving yourself, remember, you are being watched too.